Jeff Lampe: This year’s dove season could be excellent

While driving past a gravel road near home the other morning, I flushed a flock of more than 50 doves.

Jeff Lampe

While driving past a gravel road near home the other morning, I flushed a flock of more than 50 doves.

That's a good sign heading into dove-hunting season opener on Sept. 1. Also good are reports from most public areas with dove fields. While conditions are not uniform, the consensus among site managers in central Illinois is that rain was adequate, sunflowers look good and birds are abundant.

"I was up here at Green River the other night, and there were so many doves on the wires that when one flew up to roost, two others had to leave the wire," biologist Scott Jacoby said. "If these birds hang around until opening day, it's going to be impressive."

Unless otherwise indicated, hunting hours at public areas are noon to 5 p.m. for the first five days, and drawings are at 11 a.m. Here's a rundown on area sites:

Best Bets, Permits

A field-rotation system at Jim Edgar-Panther Creek has turned this into one of the state's best producers. Last year's total of 8,877 doves was second in the state, and the per hunter average of 8.89 doves was fifth best.

Fields will be better on odd-numbered days this year, meaning the opener should be good. There are also 148 stakes for odd-day fields, providing at least 28 stand-by openings those days. There are 126 stakes in the even-day fields.

"We've got birds in all our fields, but I'm a little concerned about the cold fronts predicted," site manager Mike Wickens said.

Wet weather is a concern at Matthiessen State Park (3,538 doves, 4.86 doves per hunter), where rain has delayed mowing. This is the first year permits have been allocated for the first five days, but there should be stand-by spots offered.

Another traditional hot spot is Green River and its satellite area at Sand Prairie (3,537, 6.72), where fields again look very good and clean. Permits are allocated the first five days, but there are usually stand-bys.

Mackinaw River (2,459, 5.68) posted one of its best seasons in awhile, and fields look good this year. But spots will be at a premium for the opener as the youth hunt falls on that day in addition to the normal allocation of permits for the first five days.

Best Bets, No Permits

Morning hunting paid off at Banner (4.31) last year, as hunters posted a Peoria-area best 2,313 birds. Numbers could be good again as fields are clean and the seed crop is very good. The site's estimated 60 stakes are allocated one hour before sunrise.

"I've seen more doves at Banner than at Double T so far," site manager Bill Douglass said.

After several strong seasons, Double T west of Canton dipped under 1,000 doves in 2006. This year should be better. Two fields were moved to the west side along the road, and overall conditions are good for the site's 60 stakes.

Farther afield in Adams County, the Buckhorn Unit of Siloam Springs State Park accounted for 1,912 doves and 4.93 per hunter last year but could be hard-pressed to repeat. Herbicide treatments did not work well, and sunflower fields are weedy. Drawing for 50 stakes is held north of Parking Lot 1.

Mowing is behind schedule because of rain at Mautino (1,695, 2.37), but fields look better there than at the Hennepin Canal (821, 6.6), where deer ate two-thirds of the sunflowers. Mautino has 25 stakes.

Snakeden Hollow (1,125, 4.67) has good seed production and few weeds in its fields and expects to offer 35-40 stakes.

Johnson-Sauk Trail (859, 3.89) again has a morning draw scheduled for one-half hour before sunrise, but fields are weedier this year.

Others

Jubilee College State Park (404, 2.33) has one good field but plenty of weeds in others and will hunt an estimated 25 stakes Sept. 1 and 2. Drawing will be held opening day.

Anderson Lake (436, 2.91) has decent sunflowers that matured late but should be huntable on a sign-in, sign-out basis. Sign-in hunting is also available at Spoon River State Forest, which has 5 acres of flowers and a burned wheat field.

- Dove season runs Sept. 1 through Oct. 21 and Nov. 3 to 11. Hours are sunrise to sunset, except for the first five days on some state sites. Daily bag limit is 15, including Eurasian collared doves, ringed turtle doves and white-winged doves.

- Hunters should have registered with the National Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) when they purchased their hunting license. Or call 888-673-7648.

- Hunters are encouraged to use non-toxic shot, which is required at most state sites. Research indicates high numbers of doves are dying from eating spent lead shotgun pellets. Ballistic tests show good results with No. 6 or No. 7 steel and an improved cylinder choke.

- If you harvest a banded dove, visit www.reportband.gov or call 800-327-2263.

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